


like dewdrops at dawn

by T_Beresford



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Genre: CROSSOVER SUPREME, Conversations, Humor, M/M, Multiverse, Post-Canon, Stucky Knows Trauma, Time Travel, a crossover here a crossover there, and can help you heal, background wangxian - Freeform, but really more like 'Universe Travel', main relationship Stucken-Lanucky-uh I don't have a name, why not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:28:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27687620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/T_Beresford/pseuds/T_Beresford
Summary: There are two men standing in the courtyard in front of the Hanshi, dressed extremely strangely.One of the men is slightly shorter than the other, and just a little broader and more solidly built. He has shoulder length brown hair that is quite lovely and would probably be even more so if he grew it out to regular cultivator-length.The taller man has a beard and even shorter hair that is a light brown that fades to pale gold at the ends, a little paler than the molten color of Wangji’s eyes. He stands straight and proud, and holds a kind of round shield on his arm, adorned with a star in the middle surrounded by concentric rings. This must be some kind of symbol of his sect, Lan Xichen figures as he noticed the five-pointed star is also emblazoned on the taller man’s chest.“Well, we certainly aren’t in Kansas anymore, Buck.”
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén/Steve Rogers, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén/Steve Rogers/James "Bucky" Barnes
Comments: 17
Kudos: 75





	1. Two Stars Appear

**Author's Note:**

> I thought post-canon Lan Xichen needed some friends. And then I thought, I love Stucky, and they are some beautiful boys that know trauma too. As one of my friends once said: :smashes action figures together and makes explosion noises:. That is the basic idea behind this fic.

Lan Xichen has just finished his morning meditation in the Hanshi, prepared to embark on yet another quiet day of seclusion, when he hears a strange noise and commotion outside. This is rare in the early hours of the Cloud Recesses, and he opens his front door slightly and peers out through the opening to see what is happening. 

There are two men standing in the courtyard in front of the Hanshi, dressed extremely strangely. Lan Xichen assumes they must be cultivators of some sort since they appeared quite suddenly- possible a teleportation spell?

One of the men is slightly shorter than the other, and just a little broader and more solidly built. He reminds Lan Xichen a bit of Nie Mingjue- something about the solid physicality, the way he leans forward with his head tilted slightly down as he carefully surveys his surroundings. Lan Xichen feels the familiar pang at remembering Nie Mingjue and breathes through it, also a familiar process. The man in the courtyard has shoulder length brown hair that is quite lovely and would probably be even more so if he grew it out to regular cultivator-length. 

The taller man has a beard and even shorter hair that is a light brown that fades to pale gold at the ends, a little paler than the molten color of Wangji’s eyes. Lan Xichen thought that he and Wangji were blessed with some broad shoulders, but this man’s are truly ridiculous. He stands straight and proud, and holds a kind of round shield on his arm, adorned with a star in the middle surrounded by concentric rings. This must be some kind of symbol of his sect, Lan Xichen figures as he noticed the five-pointed star is also emblazoned on the taller man’s chest.

Then the shorter man turns slightly as he looks around the courtyard, and Lan Xichen suppresses a gasp when he realizes the man’s left arm is covered in metal- or possibly made of metal itself? They must be of the same sect, as the same star motif is engraved and enameled in red on the shoulder of the metal arm. 

Neither of them wear robes, instead they have tops that look like they are made out of leather armor, and pants with many pockets. Lan Xichen wonders if their quiankun bags are broken somehow. They both have very round, light colored eyes- the taller man’s are clear blue like a cloudless sky, the shorter one’s have a grayish tint like a sky as the fog rolls in. 

The bearded man turns to his companion and says something completely incomprehensible. The shorter one replies and taps something that rests in his ear a few times and Lan Xichen suddenly understands the end of the sentence “…type of ancient Mandarin, yes, thanks Jarvis.” 

“Well, we certainly aren’t in Kansas anymore, Buck.” 

The brunette man responds, “No, looks like we overshot again.” 

Lan Xichen does not understand half the words that just came out of the golden haired man’s mouth even though he can now decipher their language, but he picks up from the brunette’s response that it does seem like they accidentally teleported here. Perhaps something had gone wrong on a night hunt and their swords and quiankun pouches were lost? 

Lan Xichen figured he has observed long enough and exits the Hanshi. He is a powerful enough cultivator to handle them if they end up being enemies, and this does not seem like a surprise attack on the Cloud Recesses. If they are friendly cultivators he can direct them where they need to go, as they seem rather confused currently. 

Their strange round eyes become even rounder as they watch him approach. 

The metal-armed man whistles very quietly, without any musical cultivation behind it, and leans in close to the bearded man to whisper, “Damn, did we land in heaven? Looks like an angel is coming for us.”

The bearded man elbows the other one away and mutters out of the side of mouth, “Bucky, not now.” 

The brunette doesn’t seem offended by this response and just keeps smiling to himself, raking his eyes quickly and up and down Lan Xichen’s form. 

Lan Xichen is again unsure of the words they are using - ‘anjel’ and ‘buckee’? These men must be from a very far away land, or some extraordinarily removed sect with very different traditions. 

He bows when he reaches them and introduces himself, “Greetings, I am Lan Xichen, Sect Leader of the Lan Sect. Welcome to Cloud Recesses.” 

The two men seem used to being in strange new circumstances; they look at him with interest and slight wariness, but no surprise. 

The tall golden one nods, places a hand to the star on his chest and says, “Hello, I am Steve Rogers.” 

The brunette doesn’t say anything, simply continues regarding Lan Xichen with one eyebrow slightly raised. 

After a second, Steve Rogers adds, “And this is Bucky Barnes.”

Ah, Lan Xichen thinks, ‘bucky’ is a name. 

“What business do you have at Cloud Recesses?”

“Well actually, we were not exactly trying to come here at all. We were trying to get…somewhere else.” 

Lan Xichen’s interpretation had been correct- something had gone wrong with their teleportation. 

“Where were you trying to go? Perhaps I can help you figure out what when wrong. Were you using talismans, or a portal?” 

These questions made the two men look faintly surprised. 

“Oh, you know about portals? We know a wizard, that would explain the whole get-up,” Bucky Barnes asks, gesturing to Lan Xichen’s robes. 

“'Wizard'? I am a cultivator. Are you not cultivators? And where are you from, if I may ask?” Lan Xichen inquires, knowing it is not quite polite to ask so many questions at once, but this is such a mystery. 

“That’s kind of a long story,” Steve Rogers says, and then launches into a very confusing yet earnest explanation involving magical objects called ‘infinity stones’ that could apparently affect time and space? And someone called a ‘Lang’ and a doctor called Strange, as well as vials of particles that allowed for time travel, but in different “verses” of a “multiverse”. Multiple verses of what, Lan Xichen did not know. 

It was like trying to listen to someone who was not Lan Wangji try to explain one of Wei Wuxian’s more complicated talismans- pretty much always a futile endeavor. 

Lan Xichen stops him at some point because they are clearly getting nowhere with this. Bucky Barnes is not even listening anymore, he has wandered a few feet away to look are the branches of a flowering tree at the edge of the courtyard. 

Lan Xichen decides to take them to see Lan Wangji. As Chief Cultivator and acting Sect Leader while Lan Xichen is in seclusion, his younger brother should be kept updated on the happenings at Cloud Recesses anyways. Perhaps Wei Wuxian can help as well since his strong suit has always been thinking about alternative theories and creative solutions. He starts leading them through Cloud Recesses, heading towards the Jingshi. 

Lan Xichen inquires about their titles, if he is to introduce them to Lan Wangji. 

“Titles? Um, I was Captain America, I guess. But it was really more like a job, or like a role. I’ve retired and someone else holds the title now.”

“And I was the Winter Soldier and the White Wolf!” proclaims Bucky Barnes, grinning in not-entirely-reassuring way. 

This makes Captain America Steve Rogers smile again and teases, “But he’s always been Bucky to me.”

“Oh shut it, don’t get sappy on me. I had great names.”

Lan Xichen nods. He does not know why ‘Captain America’ gets only am officer rank name combined with another unknown word, while ‘The Winter Soldier-White Wolf’ got two very evocative, descriptive names, but he accepts it. The titles were even quite poetic together- a white predator stalking prey in deep snow, silent and cold, focused, dedicated and deadly. 

Lan Xichen wonders why they each refer to each by their family names, not their full or courtesy names, and asks. 

“Oh right!” Bucky Barnes says, “Where we come from, family names go last, and we actually don’t have courtesy names, we just have one, the same ones from birth.”

Steve looked at him with a faint question in his eyes how he knows so much about this. 

“Hong Kong, early 2000s,” Bucky says, as though explaining something. “Undercover for three months.”

“Ah, yes.” says Steve. 

Their new guests were full of mysteries. Lan Xichen asks if they prefer to be called by their titles or full names and they reassure him, no, no please just use their first names, Bucky and Steve.

As they continue walking through the outdoor halls of Cloud Recesses, Bucky (Bucky, just Bucky, not The Winter Soldier-White Wolf, Lan Xichen reminds himself) comments on the beauty and calmness of the compound. 

“Yes,” Lan Xichen responds, “Cloud Recesses was built purposefully to create a calm atmosphere to focus on golden core regulation and contemplation of the natural world for meditation.”

“What’s a golden core?” Steve asks, and Lan Xichen almost stops in his tracks. 

How could they have teleported here without golden cores? Are they trying to joke? Has their sect figured out how to do spells without golden cores, possibly with resentful energy like Wei Wuxian?

“A golden core…your spiritual energy.” He manages to respond. “Where your power comes from.”

“Oh,” Steve makes an odd half-smiling face and says self-deprecatingly, “All my power came out of a bottle, I’m afraid.” 

“Stevie,” Bucky says softly, and Lan Xichen hears the gentle reprimand in the tone, so similar to Wangji’s “Wei Ying” whenever his husband jokingly puts himself down. 

Lan Xichen does not know if these two have a similar relationship to Wangji and Wei Wuxian’s, but they are clearly close, comfortable with each other, and trust each other. Maybe they are simply battle partners, maybe something more. 

When they reach Lan Wangji’s office Lan Xichen can read the subtle cues on his brother’s passive face that he is grateful to be interrupted with something more interesting than the usual in the Chief Cultivator duties. 

He listens to Steve’s long, somewhat rambling explanation with Bucky’s occasional color commentary (“and wasn’t that a fun time” “a princess and a genius!” “what a _fucker_ ” – a word both Lans do understand- Lan Xichen gives a soft laugh at while Lan Wangji’s mouth tightens into his ‘finding this amusing yet knows he shouldn’t laugh’ face.) 

At the end of it all Lan Wangji also does not fully understand the mechanism by which the mysterious strangers traveled here either, and it is decided to consult Wei Wuxian about it. Lan Wangji would probably tell him anyways, but Lan Xichen agrees it’s a good idea. 

They check in all the usual places Wei Wuxian usually is, Lan Xichen continuing to give the two strange visitors a brief tour as they walk, pointing out the library, kitchens, and guest dormitories. Eventually the group finds Wei Wuxian on the back hillside with the rabbits. 

As they walk over the field towards him, Bucky grabs Steve’s hand, exclaiming, “Steve. Steve. Stevie, baby, I’m serious this time, we’ve gone to heaven. Look at that, that is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Are there _baby bunnies_?? Look at all these incredibly beautiful men wearing white robes. And did you notice that guy has gold eyes? Where are we?”

Steve smiles at him, “I don’t know, Buck, but I agree it’s pretty nice so far.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bucky is hornt and loves bunnies and I loves him. 
> 
> I am playing very fast and loose with canon and timeline of the MCU, picking a choosing what elements I like – How do the multiple universes work? Why are they time traveling? UNKOWN, now they’re here. They have the time-traveling technology of Endgame, but Jarvis is still around, and Bucky still has a red star on his arm, but he has had therapy and Wakanda-recovery time, and he is sassy and again, I lufffs him.


	2. Ducklings Gather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is more from Steve/Bucky's perspective
> 
> meals are eaten, baths are taken

Wei Wuxian is one of the few people not wearing white in the Cloud Recesses, instead he some very nice looking robes in black and red, which Bucky appreciates at first sight. 

“Nice look!” Bucky comments, as he gestures to the other’s robes with a shiny pattern woven into them and black leather accents at the cuffs and collars. They are practically like his Winter Soldier outfit in robe form. 

Wei Wuxian looks at the two strangers excitedly. 

“Wow! Who are you! Where are you from! What is that?” pointing at Steve’s shield. 

“It’s a shield.” Steve says in what Bucky recognizes as his ‘being a little shit on purpose’ flat tone of voice. 

“I can see that,” replies Wei Wuxian, “but why is like that?” 

He reaches his arms out with a child-like grabby hands gesture at the shield, but can’t move any farther off the ground without disturbing the rabbits around him. “Is it infused with spiritual energy? It feels almost like a protective talisman.”

“Ah, well, I don’t know what that is, it’s just my shield.” Steve responds with a shrug. 

Lan Xichen interjects, “Wei Wuxian, these are travelers from a different world, they’ve ended up here by accident. They say they are not cultivators yet they use a method similar to your long distance traveling talismans, and we were wondering if you could help us figure out how to get them back to their intended destination.”

Wei Wuxian’s face has grown more and more excited during this whole explanation. He carefully moves aside the bunnies aside as he exclaims, “Wow! That’s amazing! Where did you start, and where are trying to end up? Did you account for the compression and refraction adjustments?”

Steve and Bucky have again no idea what Wei Wuxian is talking about but try to explain Pym Particles and Dr. Strange’s portals as best they can while the group slowly walks back towards to the main complex of Cloud Recesses. 

By the time they arrive, it close to lunchtime, and Lan Xichen invites everyone to dine with him in the Hanshi. Bucky and Steve agree it probably still isn’t the best idea to introduce two new guests in the main dining area quite yet, when they were all still trying to figure out just exactly where and who everyone was. Lan Xichen directs some disciples to bring five meals to his rooms instead of just the usual one, and to include the meal with Wei Wuxian’s special chili sauce. 

When they are all seated, Steve asks several questions about the food, and seems to enjoy it thoroughly. 

Bucky smiles fondly and comments, “You actually do like that vegetable stuff, don’t you.” 

Steve replies, “They blanch it really well, and the broth provides just enough salt! Try it.” 

Bucky chooses instead to steal half of Wei Wuxian’s chili sauce, a fact that Wei Wuxian is thrilled about, immediately complimenting his excellent taste. To the newcomers he seems to be very excitable about most things, while in contrast the reserved Lan Wangji sits silently beside him, eating gracefully, but every once in a while they catch a soft look and a slow, affectionate, cat-like blink directed towards Wei Wuxian. 

Afterwards, Lan Wangji has to get back to his responsibilities and Wei Wuxian is off to the library to look up some information that might be relevant. Bucky and Steve are alone with Lan Xichen once again. 

Bucky stretches out from the low cushion by the table (attractively, Steve thinks) to recline with the cup of delicate tea Lan Xichen had served them. 

“So tell us about yourself,” he says to Lan Xichen with a half smile. 

Steve recognizes this as classic vintage Bucky charm, and Lan Xichen looks faintly amused and surprised by the straightforwardness. 

“I am not so sure there’s much more to tell than you already know- I am a cultivator, Lan Wangji’s older brother, Lan Sect Leader- although since Lan Wangji is currently Chief Cultivator he has taken on much of the responsibilities of leading the sect.” 

Steve has a sneaking suspicion that Lan Xichen is being deliberately overly humble and vague- he’d seen the deference the white-robed younger disciples who brought lunch gave to Lan Xichen, slightly different than their response to Lan Wangji. They certainly revered and respected both of them, but they seemed to have an attitude of gentleness towards Lan Xichen that almost, but not quite, bordered on pity- like he is fragile, somehow. At this point the three of them have spent over half the day together and there seems to be nothing else Lan Xichen needs to do around Cloud Recesses- odd for a Sect Leader, even if his brother is doing most of the work. He puts the thought aside for now- Steve and Bucky are strangers to him, of course Lan Xichen is not going to immediately trust them with his entire life story. 

That afternoon, Lan Xichen directs them to guest quarters that have been drawn up for them, not too far from the Hanshi. The rooms are beautiful, with dark polished wood, exquisite pale blue embroidered silk, and a round window that looks out onto a flowering magnolia tree. 

Lan Xichen shows them how talismans keep water warm for the bathtub behind a privacy screen, then leads them to a second bedroom next door. 

“If needed,” he states demurely. 

Steve snorts rather indelicately and Bucky simply smirks, but they do not make a comment.

Ah, thinks Lan Xichen, it seems like their relationship is more like Wei Wuxian and Wangji’s.

They decide to introduce the newcomers to the rest of the clan at dinner in the main hall that night. There’s no point in putting it off at this point, now that they are staying in the guest housing the disciples are bound to run into them. Lan Xichen also explains about the ‘no talking during eating’ rule, which he thinks will actually benefit this situation because they can introduce Steve and Bucky and then eat without being interrupted by questions immediately. Lan Xichen smiles a little thinking of Lan Jingyi’s reaction. He leaves the two to get cleaned and dressed, and shows them extra robes in the closet- he hopes they will be large enough for the two rather super-sized men. 

Bucky narrows his eyes at Lan Xichen’s receding white-clad figure heading back to the Hanshi. 

“You know, I think there’s quite a sense of humor hiding behind that calm exterior. I saw his face when he was saying how the disciples wouldn’t be able to talk during dinner, he was enjoying it.” 

“I was thinking the same thing, Buck.” Steve kisses Bucky’s nose after this statement, but Bucky swats him away. 

“Come on,” Bucky grins, “No hanky-panky, at least until after baths. And I want to see you in these robes, if they’ll even fit across that ridiculous chest of yours.” 

“Looks who’s talking,” Steve mutters, but it’s mostly lost amidst him trying to grab Bucky’s waist as they roughhouse towards the bathtub. 

The tub unfortunately will not hold two superhero-sized bodies, even though they very seriously consider it, they ultimately decide it would not be best guest form to break a tub the first day there. The soap smells green and herbal, like combination of plants have been infused into it, and Bucky especially appreciated the small bottle of camellia oil. 

“This stuff has so much oleic acid in it!” Bucky explains as he rubs it into his flesh arm and over his scars, and then runs the remainder on his hands through his hair, while wearing only the loose pale trousers which function as undergarments here. 

Steve blatantly stares at his glistening torso for several long seconds before managing to respond with some kind of vague acknowledgement about the benefits of skin and hair care. 

Bucky raises an eyebrow, “No getting distracted! Come on, robe time.” 

The robes do manage to fit both of them- mostly. There’s a bit more clavicle showing than when they’ve seen on any other Lan members, but it’ll have to do. 

The dinner that night goes as Lan Xichen predicted, with the two guests seated in places of honor next to him and Lan Wangji. There was an immediate outburst (mostly on Lan Jingyi’s part) of curiosity and questions, but then the food was then served and everyone had to be quiet. Lan Xichen smiles softly at his food, trying not to take excessive amounts of amusement in the situation. Bucky and Steve exchange looks – their feeling about their host was correct, he was definitely enjoying this, especially that one disciple who was just about turning red with suppressed exclamations. 

After dinner the two men are surrounded by a gaggle of curious disciples, but in an extremely polite way. Lan Xichen smiles at the scene, it looks like a bunch of white-robed ducklings fluttering around, trying to get as much information as possible without overstepping the Lan rules for propriety. 

Unfortunately there was not that much information Bucky and Steve can provide them. They do not know how or why they ended up in this world. They try to explain what it was like on their world, but it was hard to find understandable comparisons for things like cars, superpowers, aliens, or planes with a group of people speaking of arrays, demonic cultivation, and sects. Eventually Wei Wuxian gathers them away as it draws near to nine pm with his characteristic grin and cry of “Baby Lan bedtime! Come on, they’ll still be here in the morning tomorrow, you can bother them all you want then!”

Everyone makes their way back to their respective dwellings as the night mists around Cloud Recesses obscure the surrounding scenery, giving it a quiet, enclosed feeling. 

As Bucky and Steve undress and get ready for bed, Bucky comments yet again on the beauty of the place.

“It just feels so safe, you know?” he says, emerging from behind the privacy screen and falling into bed beside Steve. 

“I know what you mean, something about the remoteness, like it’s floating above everything else.” Steve responds, thinking maybe he could locate something similar to sketchpad and pencils while he is here. 

It was a long day of new experiences and information to process, and they fall asleep quickly under cloud-patterned silks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my characterization of WWX is apparently just saying 'wow!' a lot 
> 
> i like this [camellia](https://www.bigelowchemists.com/chidoriya-original-pure-camellia-oil.html) [oil](https://www.smallflower.com/collections/chidoriya/products/chidoriya-camellia-oil-0_5-fl-oz?variant=37056363757719), mainly because of the pretty bottles 😂


	3. The Terminator Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> life in Cloud Recesses

The second morning they wake up and discover that there is a tray with breakfast left outside the door with more warming talismans on it to keep warm. They eat and dress, and exit the guests quarters to find out that most Lans seem to have been up for several hours already and are already in training in a practice courtyard. 

They make their way to the library, and it very soon becomes clear that Steve and Bucky still cannot offer much more insight to help Wei Wuxian in clearing up this universe-travel dilemma. Since he says he working on several theories and then proceeds to talk for five minutes straight at them about it, they trust that he’s fine working on his own. They manage to extricate themselves as he wanders away into the stacks muttering about ‘displacement patterns’ and leave to find Lan Xichen. 

They eat lunch again in the Hanshi, and then Lan Xichen invites them to join in disciple training that afternoon since there is nothing more they can do to help Wei Wuxian at the moment. The Lan disciples mostly work on sword forms in the mornings, so the guests would not need a weapon for the afternoon portion. Lan Xichen is, he will admit, curious about their physical abilities as well. They keep denying that they have any kind of ‘magic’ but have mentioned that they have ‘power’ and in their world appear to function sort of wandering cultivators- traveling anywhere there might be a problem that people could not handle themselves and facing dangers to protect others. 

This turns out to be an excellent idea because the disciples are also so curious about the newcomers, and this gives them plenty of time to satisfy their curiosity. The two guests’ training and movements are clearly completely different style from the Lan- similar to Nie they rely much more on brute strength and straightforward attacks, and less on distraction and evasion. The two men cannot do any aerial moves or have any musical cultivation, so they are actually more equally matched with the lower-level disciples and appear to enjoy themselves learning new forms of movement, laughing as they stretch and fumble their way through learning new footwork and skills. 

Over the next few days, they fall easily into a similar pattern. Breakfast is delivered on trays in the morning, and then Lan Xichen usually shows them more of Cloud Recess. They visit the bunnies on the back mountain, visit the Cold Springs, and tour other sections of the compound. They check in on Wei Wuxian at various times of the day in case he has any questions or theories to discuss. They usually end up eating lunch in Hanshi, and sometimes Lan Wangji or Wei Wuxian will join them as well. Then they train with the disciples in the afternoon and eat dinner in the main dining hall. 

After a couple days the afternoon trainings end up…devolving from the normal regulated routine. Lan Xichen assumes Lan Jingyi is involved in this somehow, but he can’t find himself complaining when he returns one afternoon to a ‘strength contest’ happening between Bucky and Steve where they try to see how many Lan disciples they can hold at once. 

Steve has managed 14, mostly because three of them are very carefully standing on his shoulders, holding on to each other, and there is a disciple on each of his outstretched hands, balancing on one foot. Another two sit on each of each arms, and several are wrapped around his waist and legs, sitting very much like how A-Yuan did when he would cling to Wangji or Xichen as a toddler. Bucky is holding aloft a very respectable 9, with half of them mainly just hanging from his metal arm, but is clearly losing the battle as he cannot stop laughing at Steve trying to walk while making growling noises in a poor imitation of yaoguai. 

Lan Xichen finds he cannot stop himself smiling and laughing quietly to himself, too, at the sight. It is a good thing that it is the end of training time and there are no Elders around to see this, it is certainly not in the approved training exercises. 

Over the next few days these contests continue. Several of them have to be taken to the back mountain area, like the one where they try to see who can project an object further- Bucky and Steve by physically flinging it as hard as the can, they disciples by pushing it with spiritual power. They quickly realized that something will definitely get broken in Cloud Recesses if they stay within the usual training grounds. Lan Xichen is struck with how the two men have adjusted so quickly, and taken this remarkable experience of traveling to another world in stride. 

He brings this up one evening on the fifth day since they showed up outside his door, as they have retired to the Hanshi after dinner and he is trying to teach them weiqi. Progress is slow due to Bucky’s insistence the Steve cheats at every game- they first taught him ‘poker’ from their world with a hand-drawn set of ‘cards’ made from flawed talisman paper. (Wei Wuxian insisted since they were imperfect the talismans would be null, but one did burst into a small flame after Steve slammed it down on the table rather passionately, so they’ve decided to move on to a different game.) Lan Xichen has explained you cannot exactly cheat in weiqi the same way as you can in poker, but Bucky is still convinced that ‘Steve will a find a way.’

“You two seem quite comfortable here in Cloud Recesses. More than I would expect,” he begins. “Are you not impatient to return to your world?”

The two exchange glances. 

“No, not really,” Steve explains with a wry smile. “When you’ve traveled to other worlds before and you’ve got time travel on your side, you don’t really worry about hurrying all that much. Also when you’ve been alive for over hundred years I guess you get kinda a different perspective.”

“Oh, can people cultivate to immortality in your world? Or, I suppose not ‘cultivate’, but achieve immortality some other way?” 

Steve’s eyes widen in alarm, “NO! No, goodness no, that would be…not ideal…no, no. Bucky and I will only live about twice as long as regular humans, that’s all.”

“Steve’s got a thing about immortality,” Bucky comments. “He does not want to live forever.”

“It would take all the meaning from life, having a limited amount of time makes it worthwhile to actually do things, we’ve discussed this.” Steve hisses quickly in response- not angrily but with strong emotion behind it. 

“I know babe,” Bucky pats Steve’s knee reassuringly. “And watching everyone you love die isn’t actually all that fun…well, we don’t have to get into it right now.” 

Lan Xichen blinks. That’s…very philosophical of them. He’s not sure he fully agrees with the sentiment- many who have cultivated to immortality still continue to be motivated to ‘do things’, not from fear of running out of time but from a belief in justice or filial piety or protecting those who cannot protect themselves, or simply to continue reaching a heightened state of being. 

Their words are also revealing of a sadder background than he would have previously expected. The two seem lighter, more able to enjoy themselves, not weighed down by the guilt and darkness that has plagued Lan Xichen everyday since his sworn brothers’ betrayal was revealed. Lan Xichen can certainly relate that watching people you love die is certainly, at the very least, ‘not fun.’ 

He is not sure how to respond to conversation at the moment, so he takes the out Bucky has provided and moves onto explaining the next rule of weiqi while he lets this new information swirl and settle in his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -The terminator line is the line that separates day and night
> 
> -All these chapters are so short, I'm just throwing them up here as a write them! its the only way i can get anything done


End file.
